Vehicle



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UNITED STATES PirrnNTv OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. SCHAFFER, OF CARLISLE, INDIANA.

VEHICLE.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,420, dated October 8, 1889.

Application filed April 29, 1889. Serial No. 308,980. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it knownthat I, WILLIAM ESCHAFFER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Carhicle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to vehicles, and has for its obj ect to so mount the body thereof that the same shall be practically free from any horse motion or jars occasioned by obstructions in the road; and it consists, essentially, in so suspending the body of the vehicle that the same can partake of a longitudiwell as a sidewise movement, independently of the movements of the support thereof.

My improvements are designed for application to those classes of vehicles in which but one axle is employed ,located centrally of the body thereof. p

In Figure l of the drawings I have shown a side elevation of a road-cart constructed according to my invention, in Fig. 2 a top plan view thereof, the body being removed, and in Fig. 3 a rear elevation.

In the above drawings, A indicates the axle, upon which are mounted the wheels B.

Upon each side of thevehicle and sufficiently removed from the body thereof to allow of sidewise movement thereof, as presently described, is arranged a spring C, preferably bowed downward, as shown, each of which springs consists of the upper plate c, the intermediate semi-elliptical plate c', and the lower plate c2, 'said plates being secured together in any suitable manner. The springs are seated upon the bolsters d and secured thereto and to the axle by means of the upper and lowerco nnin g-plates d cl2, through which pass the bolts d3. The upper plate c 'of each lspring is provided forwardly with a straight portion d4, by means of which the forward ends of said springs are secured to the shafts D, while the front and rear ends of the intermediate plate c of each spring are bent to form eyes or loops c4.

Instead of constructing the springs C in the precise manner hereinabove described, it is obvious that springs consisting of Vseveral semi-elliptical plates secured together in any suitable manner could be employed.

E indicates the body of the vehicle, which Y is mounted upon the front and rear transverse springs F, consisting of the semi-elliptical plates f, the extremities of the lower plates of said springs being bent to form eyes or loops f f In order that the body of the vehicle may be free from horse motion and jars occasioned by obstructions in the road, I suspend said body from the side springs C in such manner that the body may have a longitudinal as well as a transverse movement independently of the supporting-axle and the springs C, and this may be accomplished by various means. In the drawings I have shown the means that I preferably employ for the purpose, and which I will now describe.

Passing through the eyes or loops c4 of the springs C are pins g, to which are hooked the ends of the stirrups G, and to eyes I in the centers of the latter are hooked the rods G. Through the eyes or loops f of the spring F are passed pins h, to which are likewise hooked the ends of the stirrups H, the latter being similarly connected by central eyes I to the lower hooked ends of the rods Gr', all as shown in Fig. 1. It will be seen that by thus suspending the body of the vehicle the same is free to swing forward and backward independently of the axle and springs C, by reason of the stirrups G being pivoted upon the pins g in the ends of said springs C, while said body is also free to move sidewise independently of said axle and springs C by reason of the stirrups H being pivoted upon the pins h in the ends of the springs F.

It is obvious that instead of providing the` stirrups with central eyes I, as shown, said eyes could be dispensed with and the body of each stirrup bent at its center, the eyes in the ends of the rods engaging with such bands, as shown in Fig. 2. I, however, prefer the arrangement shown and described for the reason that by employing said eyes I a-yielding support is provided for the vehicle-body, whereby any jolting of the vehicle in a verl tical direction is avoided, and the rods G are positively prevented from slipping within the stirrups by saidjolting.

In order that the weight of the occupant or occupants of the vehicle may be evenly distributed upon the springs, said body is provided with a seat I', which is supported in a IOC line directly over the axle, said seat being adapted to be adjusted forward or backward in any suitable manner, if desired.

What I claim as new isl. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination, with the axle, of the downwardly-bowed side springs C, each comprising a plurality of leaves clipped at their centers to bolsters d, the upper leaf c projecting forwardly and connecting with the shafts, and the vehicle-body E, supported from the ends of next leaf below, substantially as specified.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination, with the axle, of the downwardly-bowed side springs C, each comprising a plurality of leaves clipped at their centers to bolsters d, the upper leaf c projecting forwardly and connecting with the shafts, and the leaf c next below havingr transverse eyes c4 in its end, pins g, passing through said eyes, stirrups G, hooked to the projecting ends of said pins, the vehicle-body E, its bottom standing normally below said eyes, and rods G, connected to said bottom at their lower ends and pivotally connected to said stirrups at their upper ends, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination, with the axle, of the downwardly-bowed side springs C, each comprising a plurality of leaves clipped at their centers to bolsters d, the upper leaf c projecting forwardly and connecting with the shafts, and the leaf c next below having transverse eyes @4in its end, pins g, passing through said eyes, stirrups G, hooked to the projecting ends of said pins, the vehicle-body E, downwardlybowed end springs'F, secured thereto, said springs having longitudinal eyes f in their ends, pins h, passing through said eyes, stirrups H, hooked to the projecting ends of said pins, and rods G', having eyes in each end loosely engaging the bodies of said stirrups, whereby the upper stirrup will permit a longitudinal movement and the lower a transverse movement of the body independent of the axle, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afIiXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

7WILLIAlNI E. SCHAFFER. IVitnesses:

JAMES E. SPEAKE, WILLIAM SCHFFER. 

